History of Tourism

Where Visitors want to be

TRAVEL THROUGH TIME

Since the first settlers made their way west, California has been one of the world's most desirable destinations for residents and visitors alike. Fueled by transportation advances over the last 150 years and emboldened by big ideas in the last quarter century, the Golden State has been a powerful leader in growing its travel economy while shining a spotlight on its inherent value.

Since the first settlers made their way west, California has always been viewed as one of the world's most desirable destinations for residents and visitors alike.

But despite the Golden State's magnetic quality, it took decades of proactive leadership to build the state's tourism industry into the multibillion-dollar industry it is today.

Read on to learn more about the history of tourism in California.

1850 | California becomes 31st state in the Union.

1850s-1870s | Rail travel enables first major waves of mainstream leisure travel with the founding of California’s first railroad, the Sacramento Valley Railroad, and the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

1950s-1970s | Federal Aid Highway Act establishes the United States’ first Interstate Highway System; I-80 opens as California’s first freeway; Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld open and become some of the world’s most-visited attractions.